Brush making machine



Nov. 27, 1962 Filed Dec. 8, 1958 H. E. PUSCHEL BRUSH MAKING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 27, 1962 H. E. PUSCHEL 3,065,994

' BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 8, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ill ILI MLIIIIIli-IL. n

Nov. 27, 1962 Filed Dec. 8, 1958 Nov; 27, 1962 H. E. PUSCHEL BRUSH MAKING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 8, 1958 United States Patent (3 3,065,994 BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Herbert Ernst Puschel, Montgomery, 11]., assignor to Anchor Brush Company, Inc., Montgomery, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 8, 1958, Ser. No. 778,931 12 Claims. (Cl. 300-4) This invention relates to brush making machines and more particularly to an improved machine for forming bristle tufts and setting them in a brush back.

Various types of brush making machines are known in the art. These include the machines such as shown in the patents issued to John G. Baumgartner, No. 2,433,- 192,, dated December 23, 1947, and No. 2,710,774, dated June 14, 1955. In machines of this type, strands of bristle material, such as nylon, are anchored by means of a wire staple driven into an aperture in the brush back. Such machines introduce the bristle material between reciproeating jaws and a drive needle operating within the jaws is used to drive the anchor and the bristle tuft into place. The present invention is concerned with a machine of this type.

One object of the invention is to improve and simplify the mechanism for forming bristle tufts and anchors.

Another object is to permit higher operating speeds for brush making machines thereby increasing production of brushes.

A further object is to improve the yield of quality brushes produced by a high speed brush making machine.

A feature of the invention is the provision of bristle strand drive mechanism for introducing strands between jaws and cutting the strands with them positioned within a guide and against a stop and further supported on an associated tuft deflector.

Another feature is the provision of such a machine which includes anchor wire drive mechanism for introducing such wire into a cutter bar and a longitudinal slot of the tuft setting jaws where the Wire is cut to form an anchor to be moved into contact with the bristle strands during the cutting of these strands.

A further feature is the provision of a tuft deflector-for previously seated tufts in a brush back, which deflector is movable in two directions for freeing a tuft therefrom as the machine operates to set tufts in different patterns, and which tuft deflector includes an improved camming mechanism for operating the deflector in the proper direction during tuft setting in different directional patterns.

Further objects, features, and the attending advantages of the invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the brush making machine of the invention; 1

FIG. 2 is a partial front elevation view of the brush making machine;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the tuft setting mechanism of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view of the mechanism of FIG. 3 taken from the left side thereof;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the bristle strand driving mechanism of FIG. 3; and,

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of the staple wire cutting mechanism associated with the tuft setting mechanism of FIG. 3, with one tuft setting jaw removed.

Briefly, in a particular form of the invention, the brush making machine includes means for holding and shifting brush backs having apertures therein aligned with tuft setting jaws and a driver needle operable within the jaws. Bristle 'drive means is used to introduce bristle strands 3,065,994 Patented Nov. 27, 1962 between the jaws and to drive these strands against a stop member. A cutter severs the strands to the proper length. Immediately prior to bristle strand formation, suitable drive mechanism introduces anchor forming wire into a cutter bar and transversely within a longitudinal slot of the jaws. This cutter is used to sever an anchor from the wire and a drive needle then moves the anchor down the longitudinal slot of the jaws so that it rests on the bristle strands which are supported on one side of a tuft deflector, cooperating with the jaws, as the bristle strands are cut. Continued movement of the drive needle secures the bristle strands and anchor in an aperture of a brush back as the jaws move toward the brush back and within the tuft deflector, which deflector revents interference with previously set tufts. The brush back is then shifted in position for securing another tuft, and the tuft deflector is shifted to be freed of the previously set tuft. In order that the shift direction of the tuft deflector can be reversed as the machine operates upon a different brush back and changes the direction of utilizing a set of apertures in the back, an electrically operated cam shift is made responsive with repositioning of the brush holder as a new brush back is positioned for tufting. As will be apparent in the further detailed description of the invention, the machine constructed and operating in accordance with the invention is capable of reliable, high speed operation.

In FIG. 1 there is shown brush holders 10 and 12 each of which holds two brush backs in side-by-side relation. These brush holders are fixed on the table 14 which is mounted on suitable supporting rods so that it may be shifted in either of two perpendicular directions. This table is automatically shifted by suitable drive means (not shown) which completes a cycle each time two brush backs have been operated upon. In FIG. 2 there is shown a hole finder apparatus 16 having a pointer 17 which engages one of the apertures in locating block 19 each time the table is shifted. Block 19 is fixed to table 14. The various apertures in the block 19 are positioned in the pattern of the tufts to be set in two brush backs as they are retained by the holders 10 and 12. Therefore the apertures of the block 19 determine the tuft pattern of the brushes, such as the backs 22 and 23 in FIG. 2 which are to be made into tooth brushes.

The brush back holder 10 (FIG. 1) is positioned under drilling mechanism 25 which is powered by means of a motor 27 in order to drill the various tuft setting apertures in a brush back. One of these apertures is drilled each time the machine sets a tuft in one of the brush backs positioned in holder 12. Accordingly, when one brush back has been completely drilled it is removed from the holder 10 and substituted for a completely tufted brush in the holder 12 while two other backs are being drilled and tufted respectively. When each of these are completed the table 14 is shifted to operate on the newly inserted brush backs and the cycle is repeated. The holders 10 and 12 retain the brush backs by means of electrically operated solenoids which are controlled by a suitable switch which is operated by means of the apparatus for shifting table 14. 7

Considering now the tuft setting apparatus of the machine, there is shown in FIG. 5 a pair of reciprocating jaws 31 and 32 secured to plate 33 which is slidably mounted in the frame block 34 (FIG. 7) so that the ends of the jaws are movable toward and away from a brush back held in the holder 12. A block 35 is secured to plate 33 and this block is linked by means of member 37 to the crank arm 38 (FIG. 2). Suitable driving means is used to operate the crank arm 38 and lower the jaws 31 and 32 toward the brush back each time the back is positioned with one of its apertures under the jaws for tufting purposes.

The jaws 31 and 32 include a longitudinal slot 40 in which a driving punch or needle 42 is slidable (FIG. A cutter member 45 is mounted transverse to the jaws 31, 32 and includes a slot 46 which communicates with slot in the jaws. The jaw 31 and plate 33 have an opening 49 to clear member when the jaws descend. The staple or anchor wire 50 is driven through the slot 46 and its end is projected into the slot 40 by means of a pair of friction drive wheels 53 and 54 (FIG. 1). The wheels 53 and 54 are driven by means of a shaft 57 which drives gear 58 associated with wheel 54 and engageable with gear 59 which operates wheel 53. The shaft 57 (FIG. 2) is driven by means of a ratchet mechanism 62 which is operated by suitable driving mechanism to step the anchor wire 50 and drive it into the slot of the jaws for each bristle tuft which is set.

Once the anchor wire 50 has been advanced by means of the mechanism 62 a cam (FIG. 4) pivots lever 67 to move cutter 45 to the left against spring 63 in FIG. 4 and sever the end of the anchor wire 50 against the cutting block 70, which is fixed to plate 33. This forms the anchor 50a in the jaw slot 40 as a tuft staple. The cutter 45 carries an adjustable stop 64 (FIG. 2) which bears against a fixed member 66 to limit the movement of the cutter by the spring 63 and maintain the slot 46 in the cutter member in alignment with the slot 40 when the cutter member returns to the position shown in FIG. 4 after the tuft has been set and the drive needle 42 is withdrawn to a position above the cutter member. The cam 65 maintains the cutter member 45 is a'position moved slightly to the left in FIG. 4 as the needle 42 descends and this closes off that portion of the slot 40 in the jaws which communicates with the slot 46 of the cutter member.

After the anchor 50a has been cut, the needle 42 (FIG. 5) is moved downwardly to drive the staple along the slot 40 in the jaws. The needle 42 is movable with the block 72 which is slidable in the frame 34. The block 72 is joined by member 75 (FIG. 2) to the crank arm 77 which is operated by suitable drive mechanism to lower and raise the needle each time a tuft is set.

While the anchor 59a is being formed and moved partially along the slot 40 in the jaws 31, 32, the strands 80 (FIGS. 3, 6) of bristle material are also advanced to be cut into bristle strands of suitable length. The driving means for the strands 80 includes the friction wheels 82 and 83 which are rotatable with respective associated gears 84 and 85. Gears 84 and 85 are meshed and gear 84 is driven by means of a shaft (not shown) and associated gear 87 (FIG. 2). Gear 87 is driven by means of a gear 88 which is driven through suitable ratchet mechanism 90 to advance the strands 80 by a given amount each time the machine forms and sets a bristle tuft. The strands 80 are pulled through a plate 52 (FIG. 1) having separate apertures for each strand and the strands are held in a bunched form by means of supports 94. The strands are introduced into a tubular member 96, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, and from there they are brought into engagement with the drive wheels 82 and 83. The strands are driven through an aperture in the block 98 and across a U-shaped guide 100 which is positioned intermediate the block 98 and the jaws 31, 32.

Immediately prior to advancement of the bristle strands 80 by the ratchet mechanism 90 (FIG. 1) a cam member 102 (FIG. 5) is pivoted about a shaft 104 to engage a cam follower surface 32a of the jaw 32. The jaw 32 is pivotal about the axis 106 which is intermediate the ends of the jaws and the surface 32a so that the jaws are opened or parted somewhat to facilitate introduction of the bristle strands. The shaft 184 (FIGS. 1, 2) is turned by crank arm 110 which connects through link 111 to the crank arm 112. The arm 112 carries a cam follower 114 which engages the surface of cam 116. The shaft to which cam 116 is fixed is made rotatable at a rate of one revolution per tuft which is set.

The strands 80 are thus driven between the jaws 31,

32 and over the top edges of the tuft deflector 120 (see FIG. 3). The ratchet mechanism 99 and the associated gears and the drive wheels 82, 83 are arranged to advance the strands 89 so that the ends come to rest against the stop 122. During the advancement of the bristle strands, the anchor 50a is being formed and driven by the needle 42 so that the anchor 50a is positioned immediately above the strands when the knife blade is actuated to sever the strands to form the bristle strands 8611. With the anchor positioned on the strands 80a these are held upon the top of the deflector 120 while they are further supported by the U-shaped guide 100. As the knife 125 severs the strands the stop member 122 prevents them from advancing further. The timing relation of the punch 42 is such that the strands 80a are then carried downwardly between the sides of the tuft deflector 120 at the same time as the jaws 31 and 32 are also driven downwardly. The low point which the jaws reach is immediately above the brush back 22 and the needle 42 continues to drive the anchor 5011. into an aperture of the back thus securing the central portion of the strands 80a with their ends projecting outwardly forming a bristle tuft. The lower end of the deflector 120 surrounds the ends of the jaws 31, 32 and prevents interference therewith by previously set tufts. At this point in the operation of the machine the jaws and needle are raised and the anchor wire and bristle strands are again advanced for repeat of the described operation. The table 14 is also shifted and a different aperture in the brush back 22 is positioned under the jaws.

The knife blade 125 (FIG. 6) to cut the bristle strands 80 is operated by means of a shaft which is rotated by means of a crank arm 133 (FIG. 3) secured thereto. The crank arm 133 carries a cam follower 135 which engages the edge of the cam 137. Obviously the cam 137 is rotated once per tuft set by means of suitable drive mechanism.

A brush back such as back 22 (FIG. 2) is tufted by proceeding along the rows of apertures from the end of the brush toward the middle. Then the table is shifted and a brush back which has been inserted in place of brush back 23 is tufted in its apertures proceeding from the innermost apertures toward the end apertures. It should be clear that the bristle strands are carried through the tuft deflector 120 and out the lower open end thereof to be seated in the brush back. Accordingly, as the brush back is shifted for the setting of another tuft it is necessary to shift or rotate the tuft deflector 120 to free it from the previously set tuft which will be projecting upwardly through the open lower end thereof. Since the machine tufts from the end of the brush 22, the deflector 120 should be shifted forward to clear the tufts in that operation and, since the machine tufts from the inside toward the end on back 23, the tuft deflector should be shifted in the opposite direction when that back is being operated upon. This latter positioning of the tuft deflector is shown in FIG. 7.

The tuft deflector 120 (FIG. 1) is secured to a shaft to the other end of which is secured a crank arm 152. The arm 152 is connected by means of a linking member 155 to a pivotal arm 157 which is pivotal about the supports 159 and 160. The arm 157 carries cam followers 163 and 164 on either side thereof intermediate its pivotal mounting and the connection with link 155.

The cam follower 163 is normally in engagement with the edge of cam which is afiixed to and driven by a shaft 172 which makes one revolution for each tuft which is set by the machine. Spring 1'75 engages the arm 157 to bias the cam follower 163 into engagement with the cam 170. The cam 170 includes a portion of reduced radius in order to permit clockwise movement of arm 157 and counter-clockwise movement of arm 152 thereby rotating deflector 120 outwardly or toward the front of the machine. This movement of the tuft deflector is desired when a brush back such as back 22 (FIG, 2) iS.

being tufted, which is from back to front asthe back is shown in FIG. 2.

When the table 14 shifts so that the machine operates upon a brush back such as back 23, which is tufted from front to back in FIG. 2, the table shifting mechanism operates a switch (not shown) to energize a solenoid contained within the solenoid housing 182, shown in FIG. 1. This solenoid moves the link 183 to pivot the yoke 135 about its pivot point 187. The yoke 185 includes arms which ride in an annular groove 190 in a portion of a cam 192. Accordingly, operation of the solenoid within housing 182 pivots the yoke 185 in a counter-clockwise direction to move cam 192 along the shaft 172, to which it is keyed, and into alignment with the cam follower 164. The cam 192 is formed with a section of reduced radius at one portion thereof so as to clear the follower 164 when the solenoid is actuated.

The cam 192 also includes a portion of increased radius greater than that of the cam 170 so that cam 192 then controls the counter-clockwise rotation of arm 157 and the corresponding clockwise rotation of arm 152, thereby rotating the tuft deflector in the oposite direction or toward the rear of the machine as shown in FIG. 7. Obviously when the brush back, such as back 23 in FIG. 2, has been tufted and the table 14 shifts to operate upon a back such as back 22, the solenoid 182 is deenergized and suitable spring biasing thereof (not shown) is used to return the cam 192 (FIG. '1) to a position out of alignment with the follower 164 so that the cam 170 is then in control of the tuft deflector.

Such automatic operation of the tuft deflector permits positive and rapid action thereof such that the machine may be operated at higher speeds without interference with the rapidly reciprocating jaws which must clear the tuft deflector. Furthermore the described apparatus for forming a tuft anchor and the tuft strands, both being formed in position for the driving operation within the tuft setting jaws, permits increased machine speed to be used. With the machine constructed as shown it has been found possible to tuft brush backs at a rate of 250 to 280 holes per minute.

The invention provides therefore a brush making machine operable at high speed to produce a high percentage yield of quality brushes. With the simultaneous operation of the machine sections and the direct introduction of the brush forming materials into position such that a minimum of further transportation of them is necesary, the machine is also simplified and made more reliable in its operation.

I claim:

1. Ina brush-making machine for forming bristle tufts and anchors and setting the same in apertures in a brush back, including in combination, a pair of spaced reciprocating tuft setting jaws having a longitudinal first slot therein, said jaws further having a longitudinal opening adjacent to said first slot, a cutter positioned in said longitudinal opening and movable transverse to said jaws, said cutter having a transverse second opening communicating with said first slot, a shear member adjacent the termination of said second opening and forming a side portion of said first slot, means for driving uncut anchor wire through said second opening and across said shear member, means for reciprocating said cutter to shear the anchor wire against said shear member to form an anchor in said first slot, a reciprocating drive needle slidable in said first slot for driving the anchor, support means for holding a brush back and shifting the same under said jaws, strand feeding means positioned on one side of said jaws and having an outlet portion aligned with the spacing of said jaws, stop means on the other side of said jaws against which the strands are driven, guide means adjacent said outlet portion over which the uncut strands are fed, cutting means operable with the strands positioned on said 6 guide means and between said jaws, and means for driving said jaws and said drive needle toward said support means for setting said anchor and strands in an aperture of a brush back.

2. In a brush-making machine for forming bristle tufts and anchors and seting the same in apertures in a brush back, including in combination, a pair of spaced reciprocating tuft setting jaws having a longitudinal first slot therein, said jaws further having a longitudinal opening adjacent to said first slot, a cutter positioned in said longitudinal opening and movable transverse to said jaws, said cutter having a transverse second opening communicating with said first slot, a shear member adjacent the termination of said second opening and forming a side portion of said first slot, means for driving uncut anchor wire through said second opening and across said shear member, means for reciprocating said cutter to shear said anchor wire against said shear member to form an anchor in saidfirst slot, a reciprocating drive needle slidable in said first slot for driving the anchor, support means for holding a brush back and shifting the same under said jaws, strand feeding means positioned on one side of said jaws and having an outlet portion aligned with the spacing of said jaws, stop means on the other side of said jaws against which the strands are driven, guide means adjacent said outlet portion over which the uncut strands are fed, cutting means operable with the strands positioned on said guide means and between said jaws, and means for driving said jaws and said drive needle toward said support means for setting said anchor and strands in an aperture of a brush back, a tuft deflector operable in two directions for deflecting a previously set tuft in a brush back, cam follower means having two positions for selectively driving said tuft deflector in the two directions, two position cam means engageable with said cam follower means, and means responsive to shift of said support means for changing the position of said cam follower means.

3. In a brush-making machine for forming bristle tufts and anchors and setting the same in apertures in a brush back, including in combination, a pair of spaced reciprocating tuft setting jaws having a longitudinal first slot therein, said jaws further having a longitudinal opening adjacent to said first slot, a cutter movable transverse to said jaws and positioned in said longitudinal opening to permit reciprocating movement of said jaws free of said cutter, said cutter having a second opening communicating with said first slot, said first slot having a shearing surface adjacent the termination of said second opening, means for driving uncut anchor wire through said second opening with an end portion of the wire across said shearing surface, means for reciprocating said cutter to shear the end portion of the anchor wire against said shearing surface to form an anchor in said first slot, a reciprocating drive needle slidable in said first slot, support means for holding a brush back and shifting the same under said jaws, strand feeding means positioned on one side of said jaws and having an outlet portion aligned with the spacing of said jaws, stop means on the other side of said jaws against which the uncut strands are driven, U-shaped guide means adjacent said outlet portion through which the strands are fed, cutting means operable across said outlet portion of said strand feeding means to sever the strands with the strands positioned in said guide means and between said jaws, and driving means for moving said jaws and said drive needle toward said support means for setting said anchor and strands in an aperture of a brush back, said driving means including separate portions for driving said jaws and said drive needle which portions are synchronized to move said drive needle and position the anchor immediately '7 adjacent the strands during operation of said cutting means.

4. In a brush-making machine for forming bristle tufts and anchors and setting the same in apertures in a brush back, including in combination, a pair of spaced reciprocating tuft setting jaws having a longitudinal first slot therein, one of said jaws being pivotal with respect to the other, said jaws further having a longitudinal opening adjacent to said first slot, a cutter positioned in said longitudinal opening and movable transverse to said jaws, said cutter having a transverse second opening communicating with said first slot, means for driving the uncut anchor wire through said second opening with an end thereof in said first slot, means for reciprocating said cutter to shear said anchor wire and to form an anchor in said first slot, a reciprocating drive needle slidable in said first slot for driving the anchor, support means for holding a brush back and shifting the same under said jaws, strand feeding means positioned on one side of said jaws and having an outlet portion aligned with the spacing of said jaws to permit entry of the uncut strands between said jaws, means for pivoting said one jaw during operation of said strand feeding means to facilitate entry of the strands in the opening of said jaws, stop means on the other side of said jaws against which the strands are driven, a tuft deflector and strand guide means adjacent said outlet portion of said strand feeding means and over which the strands are fed, cutting means for the strands operable with the strands positioned on said tuft deflector and said guide means and between said jaws, and means for driving said jaws and said drive needle toward said support means for setting said anchor and strands in an aperture of a brush back.

5. In a brush-making machine for setting in apertures in a brush back bristle tufts formed from strands of bristle material, including in combination, a pair of spaced reciprocating tuft setting jaws having a longitudinal slot therein, a reciprocating drive needle slidable in said slot, support means for holding a brush back and shifting the same under said jaws, strand feeding means positioned on one side of said jaws and having an outi let portion aligned with the spacing of said jaws for feeding a plurality of strands between said jaws, one of said jaws being pivotal with respect to the other, means for pivoting said one jaw during operation of said strand feeding means to facilitate introduction of the strands between said jaws, means on the other side of said jaws against which the strands are driven, guide means adjacent said outlet portion over which the strands are fed, and cutting means operable with the strands positioned on said guide means and between said jaws.

6. In a brush-making machine for setting bristle tufts in apertures in a brush back by means of wire anchors cut from anchor wire, including in combination, a pair of reciprocating tuft setting jaws having a longitudinal first slot therebetween, said jaws further having a longitudinal opening parallel to said first slot, a cutter positioned in said longitudinal opening and movable transverse to said jaws, said cutter having a transverse second opening communicating with said first slot in said jaws, means providing a shearing surface adjacent the termination of said second opening with said first slot, means for feeding uncut anchor wire through said second opening and across said shearing surface, means for reciprocating said cutter to shear said anchor wire at said shearing surface and to form an anchor in said first slot, and a reciprocating drive needle positioned in said first slot for driving the anchor within said jaws.

7. In a brush-making machine for setting bristle tufts in apertures in a brush back by means of wire anchors cut from anchor wire, including in combination, a pair of reciprocating tuft setting jaws having a longitudinal first slot therein, said jaws further having a longitudinal open-- ing parallel to said first slot, a cutter movable transverse to said jaws and positioned in said longitudinal opening to permit reciprocating movement of said jaws free of said cutter, said cutter having a wire receiving opening communicating with and perpendicular to said first slot in said jaws, a shear member adjacent the termination of said wire receiving opening at said first slot, means for driving uncut anchor wire through said wire receiving opening and across said shear member with an end portion of the wire in alignment with said first slot, means for reciprocating said cutter to shear said anchor wire and to form an anchor of the end portion in said first slot, and a reciprocating drive needle positioned in said first slot for driving the anchor Within said jaws.

8. In a brush-making machine for setting bristle tufts in a brush back, including in combination, a pair of reciprocating tuft-setting jaws having a longitudinal slot therein, a reciprocating drive needle slidable in said slot, means for introducing an anchor and bristle tufts in said jaws to be set by said drive needle, support means for holding a pair of brush backs and shifting the same individually into alignment with said jaws, a tuft deflector aligned with said jaws and operable in two directions on opposite sides of said jaws for deflecting a previously set tuft in a brush back, cam follower means having two positions for selectively driving said tuft deflector in the two directions, two position cam means engageable with said cam follower means, and means operable upon shift of said support means for tufting of a different brush back to change the position of said cam follower means.

9. In a brush-making machine for setting bristle tufts in a brush back, including in combination, a pair of reciprocating tuft-setting jaws having a longitudinal slot therein, a reciprocating drive needle slidable in said slot, means for introducing an anchor and bristle tufts in said jaws to be set by said drive needle, support means for holding a pair of brush backs having tuft receiving apertures therein and automatically shifting the same so that the brush backs are successively shifted into alignment with said jaws, a tuft deflector having a central opening through which the ends of said jaws extend, a rotatable member supporting said tuft deflector to permit rotation thereof in opposite directions with respect to the ends of said jaws, linkage means for driving said rotatable membar and including first and second cam followers respectively operable for moving said tuft deflector in the opposite directions, first and second cams with means for driving the same in synchronism with said tuft setting jaws, said first and second cams being aligned respectively with said first and second cam followers, said cams being constructed to be singly operable with said cam followers and one of said cams being movable to a position unaligned with its associated cam follower, and means engageable with said one cam responsive to shifting of said support means to change alignment of said jaws with a different brush back for moving said one cam to the position unaligned with its associated cam follower.

10. In a brush making machine for setting bristle tufts in a brush back, the combination of a pair of reciprocating tuft setting jaws having a longitudinal slot therein, a reciprocating drive needle slidable in said slot, means for introducing an anchor and bristle tuft in said jaws to be set by said drive needle, support means for holding a pair of apertured brush backs and shifting the same so that the apertures thereof are individually and sequentially aligned with said jaws, a tuft deflector aligned with said jaws so that the same may reciprocate into and out of said tuft deflector, said tuft deflector being rotatable to positions on opposite sides of said jaws for deflecting a previously set tuft in a brush back, drive means for said tuft deflector having a first position for repeatedly driving said tuft deflector to one position and a second position for repeatedly driving said tuft deflector to the other position thereof, means operable upon shift of said support means for changing said drive means between said first and second positions thereof whereby tufting may be effected in opposite directions in each of a pair of brush backs.

11. In a brush-making machine for forming bristle tufts and anchors and setting the same in apertures in a brush back, including in combination, a pair of spaced reciprocating tuft setting jaws having a longitudinal first slot therein, a cutter movable transverse to said jaws, said cutter having a second opening communicating with said first slot, a shear member adjacent the termination of said second opening and forming a side portion of said first slot, means for feeding uncut anchor wire through said second opening and across said shear member, means for reciprocating said cutter to shear the anchor wire against said shear member to form an anchor in said first slot, a reciprocating drive needle slidable in said first slot for driving the anchor from the position thereof across said shear member, support means for holding a brush back and shifting the same under said jaws, strand feeding means positioned on one side of said jaws and having an outlet portion aligned with the spacing of said jaws, guide means adjacent said outlet portion to guide a plurality of uncut strands between said jaws, cutting means operable with the strands positioned between said jaws, and means for driving said jaws and said drive needle toward said support means for setting said anchor and strands in an aperture of a brush back.

12. In a brush-making machine for forming bristle tufts and anchors and setting the same in apertures in a brush back, including in combination, a pair of spaced reciprocating tuft setting jaws having a longitudinal first slot therein, mounting means for pivotally mounting one of said jaws with respect to the other, a cutter movable transverse to said jaws, said cutter having a second opening communicating with said first slot in substantial alignment with said mounting means, a shear member adjacent the termination of said second opening and forming a side portion of said first slot, means for feeding uncut anchor wire through said second opening and across said shear member, means for reciprocating said cutter to shear the anchor wire against said shear member to form an anchor in said first slot, a reciprocating drive needle slidable in said first slot for driving the anchor from the postion thereof surrounded by said shear member and said cutter in reciprocated position, support means for holding a brush back and shifting the same under said jaws, strand feeding means positioned on one side of said jaws and having an outlet portion aligned with the spacing of said jaws, means for pivotally opening said jaws upon operation of said strand feeding means, guide means adjacent said outlet portion to guide a plurality of uncut strands between said jaws, cutting means operable with the strands positioned between said jaws, and means for driving said jaws and said drive needle toward said support means for setting said anchor and strands in an aperture of a brush back.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,001,550 Murdock Aug, 22, 1911 2,243,495 Baumgartner May 27, 1941 2,291,725 Johnson et al. Aug. 4, 1942 2,433,191 Baumgartner Dec. 23, 1947 2,433,192 Baumgartner Dec. 23, 1947 2,710,774 Baumgartner June 14, 1955 2,736,609 Vinal Feb. 28, 1956 

